Finding Signs of Pests Before They Find You

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3 Ways to recognize signs of pests in your home and get a handle on it before it’s out of hand.

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It doesn’t matter if you’re house hunting or simply wondering if you might have pests in your current home – there isn’t enough space for the two of you to live happily together. And, if one of you needs to go, we better make sure it’s the pests. Here is a handy guide to recognize signs of pests that you can arm yourself with if you’re suspecting that you might be in an unwanted cohabitation with these cruel little creatures; at least it is one less thing to worry about over the summer.

Pests are surprisingly good at hiding, by the way, and just because you haven’t seen or heard anything doesn’t mean that you don’t have an infestation. Keep your eyes open for these red flags, though, and it should be a little bit easier to lead a pest-free life at home.

Alive and kicking: Keep your eyes open

As the most obvious sign, alive insects tend to be active and you might be able to spot them without much help besides your own eyes and perhaps a pair of glasses. Remember to check your house once in a while and pay extra attention to places such as the kitchen and the bathroom as well as the area right outside of your house. They’re sneaky and may be active where you least expect them so check thoroughly before celebrating your lack of infestations. Do some research sooner rather than later too, by the way, and learn to tell the difference between different types of pests as well.

Not so much alive and kicking: Look for dead bugs

Another obvious sign is those heaps of dead bugs in the windowsill, around its edges, in the basement, and in the corners of your home. While the occasional curled-up spider doesn’t mean you have a pest infestation, you need to keep your eyes open for a number of bugs of the same species.

The more you have of the same, the higher the chances are that they live and die on the property with you. Clean it up, call some decent exterminators, and rest assured that it’s a relatively quick fix these days. Given that you’ve done your research beforehand and know what kind of bugs you’re dealing with, it should be easy enough to give them the information they need as well.

Smells and droppings: Use your ears and nose

Alright, it’s not the most pleasant discovery, but small forms of life will also leave a mark – particularly around the house. Look out for droppings, for example, as it’s one of the most common ways to spot a pest infestation and see if you can notice any unpleasant scents of urine as well. Bed bugs, on the other hand, may leave a musty smell in your bedroom while roaches tend to have an oily odor – which really just makes them even grosser.

Another clear sign of a pest infestation is, of course, the sound of tiny feet running around under your floorboard or between your walls. Scratching, taps, gnawing, squeaking, and scurrying are classic sounds of an infested home.